Six years ago, one of the four sculptures in the entry, a statue of a nude boy, writing on a wall, was a hot topic of controversy in Saugatuck when it was placed in front of City Hall during “Art ‘Round Town.”

Today, MLive readers are throwing around the “U” word while talking about the comeliness of the South Haven artist’s human figures.

“Not a winner,” said Michael Turnes, of Middleville. “Everyone’s seen this or half the people anyway.”

But most have leaped to the defense of McKearnan, a Chicago native and graduate of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, entered in his first ArtPrize.

“That’s controversial? Is that a city of 8th graders,” commented Sean Marshall.

“Leave to the petty-philes in Grand Rapids to head to the fainting couch over this,” added Vicki Olmstead Stein of Grand Rapids.

Kim Smith of West Michigan, said she appreciates McKearnan’s work on two levels:

“Nudes are a big influence in art--they're not dirty--they're just portraying the human form, which God intended to be beautiful, in all its shapes and sizes. Pornography depicts sexuality--with or without clothing. Personality, I think it's great that this sculpture is showing a ‘normal’ woman--not some supermodel."

Rhonda Trunoske Gehringer defended McKearnan, saying, “While not everyone may or may not like it, doesn't mean that its creator wasn't an artist.”

Finally, Harrison Miracle, of Grand Rapids, today was collecting more “likes” than anyone else on the thread with this comment:

“It's funny that people instantly go to ‘it's not art’ just because they are uncomfortable with it,” he said. “That sounds exactly like art to me."